


This Way to the Ingress

by Politzania



Category: Marvel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 21:07:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4640265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Politzania/pseuds/Politzania
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A soon-to-be superhero appoints herself lookout over a portal to safety for those like her.  But she’s not quite ready to take that step herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Way to the Ingress

Once she saw the small, insignificant sign on the small, insignificant service door tucked away in a corner of the largest subway station in the city (a sign that only people like her would even notice), she knew why she was there. To watch. Watching was what she did. What she had always done; even as a child, she was the one sitting over in the corner, often hiding behind a book, ears pricked and eyes scanning the room, but only when no one else was looking. 

And once her ... skillset ... developed, watching became even easier. She no longer needed the glasses she’d worn for years (but kept as camouflage). Distance wasn’t an issue either - tethers allowed for remote watching. Her diary was safe forever, and she always knew when Grandma filled the cookie jar. But with the new skillset came.... difficulties. And so she ended up here, in the city. The damage was done, and forgiveness seemed a long ways away.

But now that she’d found this door.. she had a purpose. Watching. Watching for the Wrong Ones. They could not be allowed to find this door. The Wrong Ones, who use words as their weapons against people like her. Mostly words so far, but words led to guidelines and recommendations, rules and regulations, and laws. And laws led to law enforcement: arrests, trials, imprisonment and worse. Words also led to mobs, to violence. Unfortunately, her skillset did not currently lend itself to either offensive or defensive action. She could only watch.

But she would also watch for the Right Ones. The ones who would use the door to bring the lost, the outcasts somewhere safe. Somewhere they could learn to control their newly acquired powers, learn that they were not alone - would never have to be alone again. That was her hope, at least. That the Right Ones continued to exist and would use this door, that the sign wasn’t a decoy or a remnant of things past. She would see them first - she trusted in her skillset. But she didn’t know what she would do if and when the Right Ones came for her. She knew she was lost, an outcast, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to not be alone.

She prepared for her new duties. Obviously, she couldn’t physically watch the door all the time. Not only would it be terribly boring for 95% of the time, but she had a job, a routine to follow so she fit in. So she would have to set a tether. It had been a while since she’d done one; and she wasn’t sure how well a tether would latch to an object she had no prior connection to. But with a little extra effort, she established the tether, and after a bit of testing, felt sure she would know if anyone came close to the door.

The first encounter was a false alarm - a custodian with a floor cleaning machine. The second encounter appeared to be lost tourists - annoying, but harmless. The third time, proverbially, was the charm. She was on site, in a nook she’d supplied with cushions & snacks when the door opened from the other side, and two of the Right Ones walked through. She watched them scan the room, but knew she was secure from detection. 

One of them was powered, one was not, but they seemed easy with each other; partners with long experience in having each other’s back. She envied that. They spoke in low murmurs, something about a surveillance mission. Ha - if they only knew. Her schedule allowed her to wait for their return. Based on their body language, it had been successful. She debated on setting a tether on one of them, but decided it would be too chancy. And a bit rude - she’d never tethered someone without their permission before. 

Her sense of impropriety was severely challenged the next day when she detected a potential Wrong One. He was standing about 10 feet from the door, passing out flyers. He seemed a little too aware of the crowd, as if he were watching for something. Or someone. She made her way to the station keeping eyes on him (figuratively, at least) the whole time. She seriously considered setting a tether on him as well, but wasn’t sure she really wanted to know what sewers he would slither back into. 

While she continued the internal debate, a few Right Ones showed up. She wished her skillset included some sort of telepathy, or telekinesis or tele-something - either to warn them or to repel him. Either way would work. But no - waiting and watching was her thing. She felt helpless as the Right Ones - three of them, all powered - descended the escalator. 

Thankfully, one of them seemed to have the tele-whatever that she did not, as they boarded the train instead of heading for the door. Maybe that was the plan all along - she had no way of knowing. The Wrong One, who had observed them, boarded the train as well - two cars down. She stretched her observation skills as far as she could, but nothing had happened before the train turned a corner and was out of her reach. Guess she’d hear about it on the news if anything interesting resulted.

She was having trouble sleeping, so decided to make a personal visit out to the station late one night. With her skillset, she didn’t worry about Wrong Ones like muggers or rapists - she could fade out of view as easily as breathing. Sometimes, it was more of an effort to stay present, especially since she’d moved to the city. Sometimes at work, she wasn’t sure they even knew she was there. 

She’d reached her nook just in time. The first two Right Ones she’d encountered were escorting a third figure - a small, frail figure (a child?) across the room, now quiet and dim, towards the door. The taller, powered one spoke in a warm voice “ It’s OK - you’re safe now. We will help you figure out your powers and how to safely use them.” She found herself listening closely, as if the words were meant for her. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. What happened in the past is past. You don’t have to be alone. No one has to be alone.” The last two sentences seemed to carry across the room. 

As they reached the door, the other Right One spoke. “This door is never locked. Trust is very important to us, on both sides. If you need to leave, we won’t stop you. And when you are ready to come back, you will be welcome.” Again, the words seemed to reach across the empty space to where she was safely hidden away in her nook. 

The third, small figure then spoke in a tired, trembling voice. “Where are we going?” The reply came, gentle and resonant. “We call it home.” She watched as they passed through the door - and listened closely as it closed. They were right. It wasn’t locked. 

Home. She liked the sound of that. She hadn’t had a home in a very long time. She watched herself cross the room and reach toward the door... and stopped. No - not tonight. But soon.

**Author's Note:**

> Partly inspired by owlet's "This, You Protect". 
> 
> The title refers to the infamous sign that hung above the exit of showman extraordinaire PT Barnum’s museum: “This Way to the Egress”. Guests would walk through the door expecting yet another wonder, instead finding themselves out on the street. I think this door works a little differently. I left it ambiguous as to where the door leads and who the Right Ones in the final scene were. I haven’t made my mind up myself.


End file.
